[101] POND CULTURE. Olw 



winter ^raiii, it will juiy bettor to transibrui it into a iioid. Teiehinann 

 is of the same opinion when lie says : "One of the most ethcient means 

 for improving' a pond is nndonbtedly in all eases to let it lie dry for a. 

 year and to utilize it during that period by raising- grain ; for it has in- 

 variably been observed that after a year when the pond had beeu used 

 for agricnltiiral pnri)oses the fish grow remarkably well, even if a mnch 

 larger nnnd)er was ])laced in the i)ond thau it could otherwise sui)))()il. 

 If a pond which had been sowed for a longer period is to be fdled with 

 water, the number offish must gradually be rednced, and even brought 

 below the average, if they are to reach the desired size. The benelicial 

 ellects of sowing make themselves felt for six years, and in some (;ases 

 even longer. The sowing of the ponds is, so to speak, a rejuvenating 

 process. It Avill depend on the various localities how often poiKls 

 should be sowed. In some places the ponds, not even excepting veiy 

 large ones, should be drained every sixth year and sowed with oats. 

 Sowing is the most effective means for destroying frogs and other in- 

 jurious animals. It is not advisable to use pcnds for agricultural iiur- 

 ])oses several years in succession, for in that case mice and other ani- 

 mals are apt to undermine and injure the dikes, and the long dry jx'riod 

 would also injure the tap-houses, grates, &c."* 



Exi)erience should gradually teach how often it will hv necessary 1o 

 sow a pond. Sowing rei)eated at considerable intervals can never be 

 injurious, and will under all circumstances exercise a beneficial inlluence 

 on fish-culture and the general condition of the ponds. These intervals 

 should not be longer than ten and not shorter than five years. In 

 drawing uj) a ])lan for the management of a pond farm, it will sometimes 

 be found impossible to determine the length of these intervals. If they 

 are not less than fi.ve and more than ten years, it will be better to adapt 

 oneself to circumstances than to sow pond areas of greatly varying 

 extent every year, as this will in most cases interfere Avith the regular 

 management of the ponds. If the ponds are few and large, it will be 

 difiicult to introduce a regular system of sowing. 



(2) Another way to introduce food into the ponds is to lead rain and 

 snow water from cultivated fields, which always contain much fish- 

 food, by means of ditches into ponds Avhicli are fed by brooks or springs. 

 In sky i)onds it will be absolutely necessary to do this. 



(3) The accumulation of food is favored and the general condition ot 

 the ponds is improved if after the autumn fisheries they are allowed to 

 lie dry till spring. If it is in any way possible this should be done. It 

 Will, of course, depend on the possibility of filling the pond in spring. 

 Whenever a pond is allowed to lie dry one should not forget to remove 

 the mud. 



(4) The ])roduction of food is greatly promoted by the planting ot 

 various kinds of grass and aquatic plants, e.g., Acorns calamus, Festuca 

 Uuitans, and other plants whose; young shoots, seeds, &c., serve as food 



"Teichmauu, Teichfiacherei. 1831. 



